Screen Printing for Corporate Merch — Türkiye Production
The workhorse of fabric decoration. Cost-effective at volume, durable through 100+ wash cycles, and the right answer for promotional T-shirts, uniforms, totes and corporate gifting. Production hubs in Istanbul İkitelli OSB, Beylikdüzü, Başakşehir and Esenler. VAT-inclusive quotes, e-Fatura invoicing, Pan-Türkiye delivery.
Screen printing, in plain terms
Screen printing (also known as silk-screen, serigraphy or stencil printing) uses a mesh screen coated with a light-sensitive emulsion. Each colour requires its own screen. Ink is pushed through the open areas of the screen with a squeegee, depositing a controlled film on the substrate. For designs with one to four colours and runs above a few hundred pieces, screen printing delivers the lowest unit cost of any fabric decoration method.
In the corporate-merch segment, screen printing is the default for: employee T-shirts and polos, trade-show crew sweatshirts and hoodies, retail-staff aprons and work shirts, opening-event and launch-campaign tote bags, school and club uniforms, sports-club sponsor merchandise, and dealer-network promotional giveaways. In Türkiye, agencies running large-volume brand campaigns (BBDO Istanbul, Manajans/Thompson, Alametifarika, Rabarba, Güzel Sanatlar, TBWA\Istanbul) frequently rely on screen-printed product in their deliverables; we are not on their roster but we deliver the same production quality independently for B2B clients.
How screen printing works
The process flows in five steps: artwork preparation, screen making, press setup, printing, and curing. We have standardised each step with our workshop partners in the Istanbul İkitelli OSB, Beylikdüzü, Başakşehir and Esenler clusters (İstanbul Serigrafi, Matbaa Center, Renk Matbaa, Elma Matbaacılık, Format Matbaa, Mega Basım).
Artwork: The design is separated by colour; one positive film is output per colour. Pantone Coated or Pantone Uncoated references are used to mix ink; for CMYK process work, each colour is broken down to its process values. Vector artwork (.ai, .svg, .pdf) is preferred; raster artwork must be supplied at 300 dpi or higher.
Screen making: The positive films are placed on light-sensitive emulsion-coated mesh and exposed under UV light. Opaque (black) areas of the film wash out, leaving the mesh open in those regions; transparent areas harden the emulsion, blocking the mesh. Mesh counts typically run 77-120 threads/cm for general work; 150-165 for fine detail and small type; 25-43 for heavy ink deposit and special-effect bases. Screens are stored for 18-24 months after a run finishes — repeat orders skip this cost.
Press setup (registration): The substrate is loaded onto the press platen; each screen is registered to the previous colour with micron-level precision. Multi-colour designs require sub-millimetre alignment; the workshops use micrometric registration heads for this. Five to ten proof pieces are run before the main run to verify alignment, ink deposit and cure.
Printing: The substrate passes under each screen once; each pass lays down one colour. Plastisol inks can be printed wet-on-wet; water-based inks require an intermediate dry (wet-on-dry). A four-colour design runs through four screens; each pass takes roughly 0.5-2 seconds. Light-coloured substrates need no underbase; dark substrates require a white underbase screen.
Curing: The printed substrate passes through a conveyor dryer. Plastisol cures at 160-170°C; water-based at 100-120°C; discharge at 130-150°C. Belt speed is calibrated to fabric weight and ink film thickness. Under-cured ink cracks after 5-10 wash cycles; properly cured ink survives 100+ wash cycles without cracking, peeling or fading.
Ink types
Plastisol, water-based, discharge, and specialty inks. Each has distinct strengths; the right choice depends on fabric type, run size and the desired look and feel.
Plastisol: PVC-based ink that sits on top of the fabric. Colours are vivid and opaque, the print is thick and crisp. Works on light and dark fabrics; the most durable ink (100+ washes). Solvent content is low (plastisol contains no volatiles during print), but workshops must operate solvent-recovery for cleanup. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 formulas (Union Ink, Rutland, Magna) are available for infantwear, childrenswear and skin-contact applications. The default choice for promotional T-shirts, trade-show crew sweatshirts, retail-staff polos — any high-volume standard run.
Water-based ink: Penetrates the fabric fibres. The hand-feel is soft, the look is natural. Colours are slightly less saturated than plastisol (especially on dark fabrics) but the absence of a surface film is the point: the fabric itself feels like fabric. Used for premium apparel, boutique brand runs, and clients who prioritise sustainability cues (water-based inks have a lower environmental footprint).
Discharge ink: Removes the dye from the fabric and replaces it with a new colour. The result is a soft print that feels like part of the fabric, even on dark garments. Cotton, linen and hemp are the working substrates; polyester blends are excluded. Discharge is the go-to technique for vintage-look prints on dark cotton tees and hoodies.
Specialty inks: Metallic (gold, silver), glitter, glow-in-the-dark, reflective, puff (raised), suede (textured), high-density (very thick). Each delivers a distinct visual effect and is priced at 2-5x standard ink cost. Best used sparingly — a single accent rather than a full design. In corporate use, metallic gold/silver and subtle puff are the most common requests.
Compatible substrates
Screen printing works on fabric, paper and select hard substrates; in Turkish corporate merch, textiles dominate the order mix.
Textiles: Cotton, polyester, cotton-poly blends, canvas, linen, denim, fleece, velvet. The full product family that drives corporate merch volume — promo T-shirts, classic-cut polos, sweatshirts and hoodies (lined and unlined), cotton and canvas totes, non-woven polypropylene bags, sweatpants, aprons, work shirts, caps and beanies. Bossa, Söktaş, Kipaş and Matesa supply most of the knit fabrics used by the major Turkish promo-product suppliers.
Bags and accessories: Cotton tote bags, canvas shoulder bags, tarpaulin totes, polypropylene carry bags, mesh drawstring bags. The dominant corporate-gift format in Türkiye; hundreds of pieces per event are common at trade-show activations and store openings.
Hard substrates: Paper (posters, labels, packaging), cardboard (boxes, invitations), plastic (PVC, PET, polyethylene with specialty inks), metal (aluminium plates, steel coaster blanks), glass (promotional mugs and bottles with specialty inks), wood (box lids, award plaques). Less common than fabric but relevant for premium gift sets and custom packaging.
Substrates that screen-print poorly: Highly textured fabrics (the ink cannot reach the bottom of the texture), water-repellent finishes (the ink does not bond), very stretchy lycra-spandex blends (the ink cracks under stretch), dusty or greasy surfaces. For these, we recommend DTF, sublimation or heat-transfer alternatives.
Colour count and Pantone matching
Each colour requires its own screen. The colour count directly drives setup cost and unit print cost. Most Turkish screen-printing shops operate manual or semi-automatic machines; colour counts above 6-8 are rare and expensive (for full-colour photographic work, DTF or DTG is the better choice).
One colour: Simple logos and single-element marks. Lowest cost; fastest setup. Typical example: a one-colour logo on a white T-shirt.
Two colours: Primary brand colour plus a contrast colour. Setup cost is roughly 1.8-2x one-colour; total cost is still highly competitive for most runs.
Three to four colours: Full corporate logos with multiple elements. Prints onto light substrates without an underbase. Most corporate-identity logo work fits within two to four spot colours.
Five or more colours: Each additional colour adds a screen and a print pass, so cost grows geometrically. For five or more colours, full-colour DTF or DTG is usually cheaper and faster.
Pantone matching: Every Pantone reference is mixed by hand at the workshop, checked against the Pantone Coated or Pantone Uncoated guide under D50 lighting. Visual matches are within ΔE 1.5 of the Pantone standard. Brand-locked spot colours (e.g. corporate red PMS 186, corporate blue PMS 286) are stored with the screen for 24 months; repeat orders hold the same tone. Pantone Formula Guide (with mix formulas) and Pantone Solid Chips (stick-on samples) are present at every partner workshop.
CMYK process: Cyan, magenta, yellow and black build full-colour photographic and illustrated work. Tone is calibrated against ISO 12647-2 reference values at 55-65 lpi screen rulings. For brand logos, spot colour is preferred over CMYK because spot colours hold their tone across substrates and lighting conditions.
Cost and lead time
Screen printing is the lowest-unit-cost decoration method at volume. Setup cost amortises across the run; per-piece price drops as volume grows. Our Istanbul İkitelli OSB, Beylikdüzü, Başakşehir and Esenler workshop partners (İstanbul Serigrafi, Matbaa Center, Renk Matbaa, Elma Matbaacılık, Format Matbaa, Mega Basım) run parallel shifts for serial and complex production.
Setup cost (per screen): Single screen ₺300-₺500; four-screen job ₺1,200-₺2,000. Screens are stored 18-24 months; repeat orders skip most of this cost.
Unit print cost: Varies by colour count, volume and substrate. One colour, 1,000 pieces: ₺3-₺6/piece; 5,000 pieces: ₺2-₺4/piece; 10,000 pieces: ₺1.50-₺2.50/piece. Four-colour work multiplies these by roughly 3.5-4x. KDV (VAT) at 20% is added on top; quotes are issued VAT-exclusive and e-Fatura (electronic invoice) is generated on order acceptance.
Production rate: Semi-automatic presses: 250-500 pieces/hour per colour. Automatic carousels: 800-1,500 pieces/hour per colour. A four-colour run on a semi-automatic press completes 200-400 pieces per hour.
Lead time: Screen making 1-2 working days; production run 3-7 working days (depending on volume); QC and packing 1-2 working days. Total 5-12 working days. Complex designs or large runs (10,000+) run 10-15 working days. Rush orders carry a 20% surcharge and complete in 2-3 working days.
MOQ: 25 pieces for a single-colour print; 50 pieces for a multi-colour print. Below these thresholds, the per-piece cost of screen setup is uneconomic; we recommend DTG or DTF for those volumes. Above 1,000 pieces, screen printing is the most economical method.
Logistics: Yurtiçi Kargo, Aras Kargo, MNG Kargo, Sürat Kargo and PTT ship to all 81 Turkish provinces. Within Istanbul, express motor-courier delivery is available. For export, we ship via DHL and FedEx with the commercial invoice, customs declaration and certificate of origin prepared in-house.
Screen printing vs alternatives
Four primary alternatives exist for fabric decoration. The right method depends on volume, design complexity, substrate and the desired result.
DTG (direct-to-garment): 1-50 pieces, full-colour photographic or fine-illustrated designs. Cotton and cotton-rich substrates are ideal. No screens, no setup, soft hand-feel. Higher unit cost than screen printing at volume; not the right choice for 500+ pieces.
DTF (direct-to-film): 50-500 pieces, full-colour designs. Works on cotton, polyester and blends. PET-film digital print + adhesive powder + heat transfer. More flexible than screen printing on mixed-fabric runs, but per-piece cost stays higher.
Embroidery: Premium look and feel. Caps, polos, jackets and bags gain a more formal corporate impression with embroidery. Per-piece cost is higher than screen printing but perceived value is also higher. Often used in hybrid with screen print: back yoke embroidered, chest logo screened.
Sublimation (dye-sub): Polyester or polyester-coated substrates for full-colour work. The dominant choice for sports kits and photo-printed products. Less UV-stable than screen printing; outdoor exposure fades faster.
Heat transfer: Individual names, small batches, unusual substrates. Higher unit cost but reaches substrates that screen printing cannot. A good fit for short campaigns and personalisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for screen printing?
50 pieces for a multi-colour print; 25 pieces for a single-colour print. Below these thresholds, screen setup cost is uneconomic on a per-piece basis; we recommend DTG or DTF for lower volumes. Above 1,000 pieces, screen printing is the most economical method. In corporate merch campaigns, 250-2,000 pieces is the typical sweet spot.
Can you match Pantone colours exactly?
Yes. Every Pantone reference is mixed by hand at the workshop, checked against the Pantone Coated or Uncoated guide under D50 lighting. Visual matches are within ΔE 1.5 of the Pantone standard. Brand-locked spot colours (e.g. PMS 186 red, PMS 286 blue) are stored with the screen for 24 months; repeat orders hold the same tone across reprints.
How durable is screen printing?
Plastisol ink on cotton or polyester survives 100+ wash cycles; the print stays vivid and flexible. Water-based inks last 50-80 washes with a softer hand. Discharge ink has the best durability on dark fabrics because the dye is replaced rather than overlaid. Industrial-wash testing at 60°C with synthetic detergent shows first visible fade on plastisol at 50+ cycles.
Can you print on polyester?
Yes, with polyester-compatible ink or a polyester underbase. Standard plastisol works on polyester, but dye migration (especially from bright reds and oranges) can bleed through the print. For critical colour matches, we use a low-bleed plastisol or a polyester-blocking underbase. Flame-retardant polyester requires a specialty formulation.
Can you print on dark fabrics?
Yes, with a white underbase. The underbase is printed first as a separate screen, then the colour layers are printed on top. The underbase adds one screen to the setup and ₺1.5-₺3 to the per-piece cost. The result is a vivid, opaque print on the dark substrate. Routinely applied on dark navy, black and forest-green grounds.
What is the largest print area?
Standard screen-print presses handle 40 × 50 cm. Larger areas (full-front wrap, all-over) require multi-press production or split-screen technique; setup cost is higher and lead time is longer. For all-over prints, dye sublimation and DTF are often more efficient. We confirm the print area during project scoping.
Do you offer GOTS, OEKO-TEX and GRS certified inks?
Yes. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 plastisol (Union Ink, Rutland, Magna), GOTS-certified water-based and discharge inks, and GRS-compliant recycled-content inks are available. Certified ink is mandatory for infantwear, childrenswear and any skin-contact or food-contact product. Partner workshops operate under ISO 12647-2 colour management and ISO 9001 quality management.
Do you ship across all of Türkiye?
Yes. Yurtiçi Kargo, Aras Kargo, MNG Kargo, Sürat Kargo and PTT ship to all 81 provinces. Istanbul deliveries can use express motor courier. Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya, Konya, Gaziantep, Adana, Mersin, Kayseri and Eskişehir are regular routes with weekly pickups. For export, DHL and FedEx handle international shipments; the commercial invoice, customs declaration and certificate of origin are prepared in-house.
Is Corp-Merch a partner or official sponsor of any events or brands mentioned on this page?
No. Corp-Merch is an independent supplier of corporate merch. We are not a partner, sponsor or affiliate of any event, brand or organisation mentioned on this page. All production is delivered independently against client briefs.
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